The Taste of Victory
by Boarbatusk328
Summary: Sequel to "The Glory of Victory". The Garonians are back-and this time they mean business.
1. Chapter 1

**The Taste of Victory**

Chapter 1

Baron stood on the bridge and looked out of the window down on the planet below. _Soon, the wretched human civilization will burn. _General Taron walked in and stood to Baron's left.

"Remember it, Taron? Back when you were still a Commander?"

"A lot has happened since then. I'm still not really in favor for this. We won the war, both Voróo and Asthael have been crushed, but we suffered unimaginable losses." He looked to Baron's right. Baron caught that look.

"Major Varon was a good man. And he couldn't have died a more honorable death. 93 Voróo and 112 Asthael fell at his hand before he fell himself." Taron pressed thumb and pointer against his eyes.

"The Battle of the End. That was true hell. I wish I could forget."

"No, Taron. You need to remember these things in order to evolve. Experience is good for progress. We don't only conquer to win but also to gain experience." Taron inhaled deeply.

"Yes, I know. But I still don't think we should do this. Our kind is still recovering. I don't think this is the right time for another war."

"Not war, Taron. This is an annihilation. A sentence. Anyway, I didn't take any soldiers. We only have war machines on this ship and the crew." Taron nodded.

"Let's just get this over with."

"Yes, look out Jo, here we come."

Meanwhile, on Earth, Jo entered her house. The smell of curry filling the air.

"Honey, I'm home." Meg came out of the kitchen.

"Welcome home, honey." She went over to Jo and kissed her.

"Dinner's almost ready. Go ahead and sit down."

"Okay." They went in the kitchen, which was also the dining room. Jo sat down at the table and Meg went back to the stove.

"How was work?"

"Just more complaints from the government if it really was necessary."

"I don't blame them. They were already short on money, and now they're spending more of it on an Alien Contact Agency."

"Alien Contact Preparation Agency."

"Whatever. It's been ten years since those...uhh..."

"Garonians?"

"Yeah, since those guys left. Do you really think they'll come?"

"They are a race that lives off of warfare. Revenge is like an appetizer to them. They'll come. Believe me." Then Jo's cell rang. She took it out of her pocket and looked at it.

"What is it?"

"Code Red: We've got an alien space ship in Earth's orbit, refusing to answer our calls. I gotta go."

"What? But Jo..." But Jo was already up and away. Meg just looked after her. "9 years of marriage and I still haven't beat that out of her."

After a short while Jo reached the Agency. It was like a military base with plenty of soldiers and scientists running around the place. She entered and went to the main communication center. There was a giant screen, about a dozen people sitting at computers and controlling the happenings, and there was a main panel from where Jo gave orders. She went there and was greeted by one of the employees.

"Miss, the ship still hasn't answered."

"Let me try it." The people set the satellite on the ship and Jo took the microphone. "Hello, unknown vessel, this is the Alien Contact Preparation Agency, Jo Carpenter speaking, please respond." There was a moment of silence, but then the intercom cracked and a voice spoke up.

"Good evening, miss Carpenter. It is evening down there, isn't it?" Jo recognized that voice. The day she had feared for the last ten years had finally come.

"Baron."

"Is that hatred I hear in your voice? It is me who should be angry. After that failure ten years ago Garon decided to abandon Project Harvest. Can you imagine how many lives have been lost?"

"Can you imagine how many lives would have been lost if you had succeeded?"

"Why should I care about the lowly lives of humans? One Garonian is already worth every human on Earth."

"I think the other way around."

"Silence! I am only talking to you so you can be certain about who did it?"

"Who did what?" Then she saw a bright light through the window and then a loud explosion. The people on the computers already went mad typing around.

"Miss, some sort of energy charge hit the east edge of Tokyo. It has been completely destroyed."

"That!" She then heard laughter through the intercom. "That is only a little taste of our victory. The civilization, of which you humans are so proud of, will crumble to dust before our power." He then got serious. "This is goodbye, Jo. For real, this time." Jo then started to hear multiple shots and explosions from the city over the typing on the keyboards.

"Miss, several weird machines suddenly appeared all around the city. In fact, all around the world."

"Activate the main defense systems! IMMEDIATELY!" She got an answer in a choir.

"Yes, mam." She then walked over to one of the people.

"Alright, I want a status report. What exactly does the attack force consist of?"

"Let's see. We have some sort of flying machines firing energy blasts down from the sky. We have human sized four-legged machines running around like animals and shooting sticky bombs. And then we got giant machines strolling around, firing energy blasts and what seems to be disintegration beams. Oh, and one more thing. We have already managed to take a few of the small ones down. And they seem to be...bleeding."

"Yeah, I expected that. Garonians are majored in biotechnology. What about the other ones?"

"They appear to be protected by some sort of shield that divert our rockets."

"I see. What about our new energy blasters?"

"Well, they haven't completely finished testing, so..."

"So nothing. I'm gonna test them myself." She dashed off and went down to the labs. The scientists had already been informed that she would come. "Alright, where's the blaster?"

"Miss, we would like you to think this over again."

"Screw you. We need to destroy these things and the blaster is our only chance." The scientist nodded.

"Look, miss. There is a teleporter, not far from here. We could try to get onto the ship through there and use the control panel to stop these things." Jo pondered about that, then smirked.

"Yes, that's a good plan. You got ten minutes. I'll get a handful of soldiers and you get us some blasters. Meet you upstairs." She then dashed off again.

Ten minutes later, the scientist arrived at the jeep where Jo was waiting with three soldiers, and gave them the blasters.

"Alright, you." She pointed at one of the soldiers. "You drive. Scientist, you show him the way. The other two ride with me in the back and help me fend off the machines. Alright?" The men nodded. "Good, let's go." They got in the jeep and drove off.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Sir, a jeep was registered leaving the ACPA." Baron turned to Taron and then to the screen showing Earth.

"Zoom in." The screen zoomed in on Japan, Tokyo, a street and then the jeep. Baron recognized one of the people on it. "Jo. Excellent. Let's give her a hearty greeting. Order all units to attack her."

"Yes, sir."

Later, on Earth, Jo and her team got company.

"Goddamnit. These bastards won't stop coming."

"Don't they have anything better to attack?"

"No they don't. I caused the fail of Baron's precious Project Harvest. I caused the deaths of probably millions of his kin. I'm probably Garon's public enemy #1 right now."

"Then we better hur... Oh shit, little guy, little guy." They all ducked as the smaller machine jumped up and shot it's sticky bombs. Up till now, they had only gotten one or two by every attack thanks to the jeeps high speed. But this time they got them all and that ripped away the side of the jeep. Jo aimed and blasted the thing away.

"These blasters are pretty damn useful."

"Yeah, against the small ones. We'll see how well it works against the bigger ones." As if on Que, one of the flying machines showed up and started firing at them. As the driver dodged, Jo took aim and fired. An explosion could be seen on the machine, but it kept on flying.

"See, I knew that wouldn't work."

"At least not on one shot." Then one of the soldiers took aim, shot and hit. Then the other. After his hit, multiple explosions came from the machine and it crashed.

"Alright, three shots. Now all that's left are the big ones."

"Okay, turn right there and then turn left."

"Got it." The driver followed those instructions.

"Alright, the teleporter is in that building. We're almost there." Then the buildings to their left exploded and the driver lost control. The car keeled over. Jo jumped onto the street, looked over to the exploded buildings and saw one of the big machines.

"Oh shit, this ain't gonna be good." She then fired her weapons and so did the soldiers as the scientist ran for cover and the machine started shooting. After hitting it six times it shot a beam. The driver started and jumped Jo, pulling her with him in his jump. The beam fired and killed the other two soldiers. After seeing that, rage flamed up in Jo's eyes she looked at the machine.

"Go to hell, you son of a bitch." She shot as well as the driver did. When both blasts hit, the machine emanated a sort of siren and then dropped to the floor. After that, the scientist came out.

"Come on, we're almost there. C'mon." The three of them ran on to the building and entered it. Inside, there was contraption like the one on the Garonian mother ship, only slightly more primitive. "I'll activate it. You two go on in." The two nodded and went into the contraption. Then Jo looked at the driver.

"Hey." He looked at her. "What's your name?" He then faced her with his entire body and saluted.

"Private Anthony Ross. It is an honor, mam." Jo just looked at his hand.

"Put your hand down, man. I am no one who deserves to be saluted to."

"But miss, your the one who saved..."

"Please. I am not. I was once someone to whom any Garonian soldier would have saluted to. And I'm glad that it's not like that anymore."

"Miss." The scientist then walked over to them.

"Alright, one press on this button," He shows them a remote control. "and we're off."

"And what's your name?" The man just looked at her.

"Takashi. Dr. Yuuichi Takashi."

"Alright, Takashi, let's go, then." He smiled and pressed the button. There was a white flash and they were in the teleporter of the ship's main deck. Once there, they faced Baron and Taron who turned towards them. Seeing the major difference between the attire of the two, Ross turned to Jo.

"Is that..." He pointed at Baron. "The usual attire for his profession?" Jo just chuckled.

"No, Ross. That is Baron. And the only thing under that suit is a glowing brain. That suit, Ross, is his actual body."

"Unbelievable." Takashi jumped in. "That must mean he has no need for food, sleep or even air, right."

"Food and sleep is right. But I still require air."

"That's right. That..." She pointed at his mouth piece. "is his air vent. A few blows to that and he's done for."

"Fascinating."

"So, Baron. Where are all your soldiers?"

"On Garon, celebrating our victory. And now, Jo." He pointed a staff at her. "It's time for you to die."

"Not so fast. If you want to kill me, why not face me in an even battle? Unless, of course, you're afraid."

"Afraid? A Garonian, afraid? You better watch your mouth, Jo, or else I might forget my good manners and kill you on the spot."

"Right. Well then, shall we start?"

"Of course." They then charged at each other, Baron swinging from the top, Jo swinging from the bottom. Both hit. Jo got hit on the head, Baron right under his mouthpiece. Jo retreated immediately. _Damn. I missed._ Baron then charged at her once more, aiming for her stomache. She just barely dodged. She then noticed a strong pull at her arm and a static groan from Baron. After a puzzled moment, she realized she hadn't moved her arm correct and that he had run right into it, mouthpiece first. He tried to get up again but she quickly kicked him on the mouthpiece, completely knocking him out. In that moment, Taron pulled out a gun and aimed. Ross saw it and charged him. He grabbed the gun and the two fought over it. Before Jo could reach them, a shot was fired and Ross sunk to the ground. Jo knocked Taron out with a hit to the temple and grabbed Ross.

"Ross. Private Ross." She looked at the hole the shot had dug into his chest. He spit blood.

"I-I have nothing to regret. I joined the ACPA, knowing that it would probably end with me getting killed. I'm glad, that I died for a purpose." He then sunk in her hands and died. She closed his eyes and laid him down. She stood up and faced Takashi.

"Deactivate the machines." He just stared at Ross. "Do it!" He then rushed over to the panel and worked on it. While he did, Jo ripped off parts off Ross' bloody uniform and tied Baron and Taron up with it. After a short while, Takashi finished working.

"And?"

"I managed to shut down the cooling systems. The machines will overheat and practically destroy themselves." Jo just nodded.

"Not bad, Jo, not bad." Jo looked down and saw that Baron was still alive. She knelt down and punched him on the mouthpiece, then heard him scream.

"You. You will leave now."

"What?" Takashi protested. "That man's a monster. We should kill him and make the assaults stop!"

"No, Takashi. This man is one of the greatest heroes of Garon. His death would be an actual war declaration." She faced Takashi and then Baron again. "You will live Baron. But you will not return to Earth again."

"I doubt that." Baron answered. "Eventually, the humans will spread out. They will try to spread their poison into our territory. And when that happens, Earth and Garon will be at war. That is the future, Jo. It's inevitable."

"We'll see about that." She cut the ties. "Now leave." Baron stood up.

"Jo, when the day comes, when Earth falls to the Garonians' power, I will visit your grave, and tell you I told you so." Jo just stared at him.

"Let's go, Takashi." She picked up Ross' corpse and they went into the teleporter.

"I told you, Jo. This time, it's good bye for real. We'll never see each other again."

"I do hope so, Baron. I do hope so." With a flash, they were back on Earth.

Later that night, Jo returned home and saw that it was completely barricaded. _She's really good at this kind of stuff._ She shoved her way into the house and looked around.

"Meg? Meg, are you here?"

"Jo?"

"Meg?" She turned around and saw Meg trembling.

"Is-is it over?" Jo smiled and hugged her.

"Yes. Yes it's all over. We won't be hearing from those guys ever again." Meg laughed.

"That's good." She separated herself from Jo. "I'll make you dinner now."

"Okay."

Later, Jo and Meg sat at the dinner table and talked about random stuff.

"Jo?"

"Yes."

"How was it today? Defeating the Garonians again?"

"Didn't feel as good as last time. I-I saw three men die, today. Three good men. And it hurt. It really, really hurt."

"I'm sorry."

"That's not my point."

"What?"

"What I witnessed today, wasn't even worthy to be called a glimpse of what Baron had experienced. He saw millions, billions of his kin over the last 20,000 years. I don't doubt that I would've become like him if I had endured it."

"Jo."

"In fact. I'm certain, your death would be than enough."

"Jo, please!" Meg grabbed her hands. She looked up and saw that Meg was crying. "You can never think that, Jo, you hear me?. Never! I'll always be with you, alright. So, please. Don't torture yourself." Jo was speechless. She just stared at Meg and then noticed that tears were also running down her cheeks.

"I think..." Meg smiled. "that's the first time I've ever seen you cry."

"And I hope it'll be the last time." They smiled at each other and wiped off their tears. Then they continued eating.

"Jo?"

"Yes?"

"I want a kid."

_Oh god._


End file.
